Copa Libertadores
CONMEBOL have some decisions to make over South America’s premier club competition
TIM VICKERY
With six months hacked out of the year, there is no way that a full 2020 Libertadores programme can be completed before 2021
At the time, some thought it was premature when the Copa Libertadores suddenly shut down on March 12 – a day when games were still taking place in the Europa League. In hindsight, it is clear that CONMEBOL made the right decision. Coronavirus is proving especially destructive in the Americas. The original idea floated as a restart date – May 5 – proved to be absurdly optimistic, and it is even possible that the same might apply to the current plans to get going on September 15.
Late July brought plenty of bad news. Formula One cancelled all of its races in the Americas. Rio de Janeiro called off its New Year’s Eve celebrations as Brazil’s death toll climbed alarmingly. There were worrying spurts in Peru, Colombia and Chile. Indeed, Chile introduced a 14-day quarantine period for all visitors – a measure which, if kept in effect, will clearly make it impossible to go ahead with the Libertadores in its current form.
On the same day, the infectious disease specialist of the Argentine government advised River Plate against travelling to Sao Paulo for the match scheduled for September 17 – and had his view endorsed when the health authorities in the Brazilian metropolis confessed that the virus would probably not be under control by then.
There could well be some tension behind the scenes, with the clubs, desperate for revenue, lobbying for a restart while those responsible for public health urge caution. This might be an issue in Paraguay, which locked down early – games were already being played behind closed doors before the Libertadores suspension – and which, as of July 25, had suffered just 38 deaths. Health chiefs there could be forgiven for wanting to call off the home and away matches between local champions Olimpia and Santos, from the state of Sao Paulo, as well as the visit of Palmeiras, from the city.
Even if the mid-September restart date proves viable, there are still problems on the horizon. One is logistical. At the best of times it can be difficult to travel around South America. Distances are vast and connections are often inadequate. Throw in the hit taken by the airline industry and the cancellation of flights and some teams will face epic journeys making their way to and from away fixtures.
And there is also the headache of a calendar that is already strained to breaking point. With six months hacked out of the year, there is no way that a full 2020 Libertadores programme can be completed before 2021. As it stands the semi-finals are set for the first half of January. No date has yet been fixed for the final, but the idea is for a showpiece occasion in Rio’s Maracana stadium later in the month. Quite apart from possible concerns about the virus, the intense summer heat would surely inhibit an afternoon kick-off, at a time perfect for hitting the European evening and boosting the TV audience. And with the Brazilian Championship set to go through to the end of February, the 2021 Libertadores is unlikely to kick off until April, more than two months later than usual. At some point something will have to give, and a competition will have to be shortened.
Europe, of course, chose to take that hit early, simplifying the 2019-20 Champions League by shifting the closing stages to a neutral venue. South American could end up having to do something similar. The obvious complication is the difference in the stage of the competitions. Coronavirus struck when the Champions League was already down to the last handful of clubs. The Libertadores, in contrast, was brought to a halt after just two of the
six weeks of group-stage matches. There is a lot of football still to be played, and all 32 teams are still in contention. Taking all of the remaining terms to a single venue would be a massive undertaking.
Should such a move be necessary, Uruguay would be the obvious candidate. As of July 25, the country had suffered just 34 coronavirus deaths, and the city of Montevideo – which 90 years ago staged the first World Cup – has no shortage of stadiums. The task would be simplified, of course, by the absence of supporters.
In normal circumstances such a scheme would be unthinkable. These, though, are exceptional times. The Uruguay option has been floated behind the scenes, and could come to the rescue should it not prove possible to restart the Copa Libertadores on September 15 as planned.